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A recent study conducted by Infobip, a global cloud communications platform, sheds light on the evolving landscape of customer interactions between businesses and consumers. Analyzing over 473 billion digital communications interactions in 2023, Infobip identified notable trends in conversational messaging and generative AI developments, highlighting their profound impact on how people and brands engage with each other.
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As consumers seek deeper connections with the brands they patronize, conversational messaging channels have witnessed significant growth. In 2023, Infobip observed a 137% surge in mobile app messages, a 73% increase in social media messages, and a 63% rise in chat app messages compared to the previous year. This growth underscores the rising preference for conversational experiences across various stages of the customer journey, encompassing marketing, commerce, and support activities.
Conversational Support:
Conversational support, whether facilitated by human agents, chatbots, or a blend of both, has emerged as an effective and efficient means of delivering positive customer experiences. WhatsApp remains the primary channel for conversational support, with businesses sending 90% of support messages through the platform. However, there’s a noticeable trend of diversification as brands explore other chat apps. For instance, Infobip has observed substantial increases in Messenger, Viber, and Line usage, signalling a broader adoption of conversational AI to deliver personalized customer service. Examples include Megi Health Platform’s use of a virtual assistant on WhatsApp to enhance the patient experience and LAQO’s deployment of Azure OpenAI partnership for fast, 24/7 personalized insurance services.
Conversational Marketing:
Conversational marketing, characterized by two-way communication between brands and customers, is gaining momentum as businesses strive to engage consumers on their preferred channels. Mobile app messaging for marketing witnessed a 29% increase in 2023, with WhatsApp leading the pack due to its new features facilitating seamless purchases within chat windows. Noteworthy growth in messaging apps like Telegram, Line, Viber, and Messenger underscores the broader adoption of conversational marketing strategies. Notable regional trends include a 421% increase in WhatsApp messages in Asia Pacific, a 146% rise in mobile app messaging in the Middle East and North Africa, and a significant surge in North America. Additionally, RCS Business Messaging is emerging as a promising channel for conversational marketing.
Ivan Ostojić, Chief Business Officer at Infobip, highlighted the rapid proliferation of conversational experiences worldwide, enabling businesses to refine marketing, sales, and support use cases. He emphasized the seamless progression of customer journeys within single conversational threads on chat apps or RCS, facilitated by interactive AI. Looking ahead, Ostojić anticipates the widespread adoption of interactive AI across various operational use cases, driving automation in customer service, marketing, sales, and logistics management.
Regional Differences:
While conversational experiences are gaining traction globally, regional variances exist. Africa has witnessed significant growth in social media messages, Asia Pacific shows robust growth in mobile app messaging, Europe experiences rapid RCS adoption, Latin America sees a surge in mobile app messaging, the Middle East North Africa region witnesses rapid adoption of conversational channels, and North America records exponential growth in rich messaging via RCS interactions.
Changing Role of SMS:
While SMS remains a crucial channel for business communication, its usage is evolving in tandem with the rise of chat apps. Notably, SMS is increasingly being used alongside chat apps, with 25% of businesses leveraging SMS in combination with WhatsApp. Across industries, SMS is a prevalent choice alongside other channels, underscoring its enduring relevance in business communication strategies.
This research report underscores the transformative impact of conversational messaging and AI on modern customer interactions. As businesses embrace these trends to engage consumers effectively, the landscape of customer engagement continues to evolve, offering new opportunities for personalized experiences and streamlined communication.
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